HFFS slider bags with zipper in fin seal

ABSTRACT

Reclosable bags are disclosed wherein a sheet of web is folded so that outward longitudinal quarters are folded over a central longitudinal half in a horizontal form fill seal apparatus. The central longitudinal half forms the back wall of the bag while the two outward longitudinal quarters form the front wall of the bag. A fin seal is formed where the longitudinal edges meet. The zipper is formed within the fin seal. However, in an alternative embodiment, the zipper is formed within the top fold while the longitudinal edges are joined by a fin seal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to reclosable bags, formed by a horizontalform fill seal (HFFS) process, with zippers, particularly slider zippersin a fin seal.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the prior art, reclosable bags with a shrouded zipper or azipper-in-the-fold configuration are well known. Examples of such priorart include U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,890 entitled “Tamper Evident ResealablePackaging”, issued on Oct. 5, 2004 to Schneider et al.; U.S. Pat. No.6,347,437 entitled “Zipper and Zipper Arrangements and Methods ofManufacturing the Same”, issued on Feb. 19, 2002 to Provan; and U.S.Pat. No. 6,138,439 entitled “Methods of Making Slide-Zippered ReclosablePackages on Horizontal Form-Fill-Seal Machines”, issued on Oct. 31, 2000to McMahon et al.

While these references have been satisfactory in many respects, it isdesired that these configurations be modified to include the zipper in afin seal, or to include a fin seal along with a zipper-in-the-foldconfiguration.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide areclosable bag, formed by a form fill and seal method and apparatus,wherein the zipper profile is placed in a fin seal.

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide analternative embodiment of a reclosable bag, with both azipper-in-the-fold configuration along with a fin seal.

It is therefore a still further object of the present invention toachieve these objects within the context of known and established formfill and seal apparatus, particularly horizontal form fill sealapparatus.

These and other objects are attained by providing a reclosable bagwherein the profile and slider are in the fin seal, particularly withthe fin seal in a central location on the front wall of the reclosablebag. The profile and slider can be sealed to make the resultingreclosable bag have the profile and clip exposed. Similarly, it could besealed so that the reclosable bag has the profile and clip shrouded orotherwise sealed into the fin seal. This reclosable bag may alsoincorporate an easy open configuration by utilizing such methods asperforating, laser scoring, lines of weakness, etc. Further, this can beapplied to other zipper styles, such as string zippers or flangedprofile zippers.

An alternative embodiment includes the zipper and slider in the top foldwith a fin seal formed at a central location in the front wall. By usingestablished form fill and seal apparatus, slider packages can beproduced and further can be made in what are known as quarter-fold andcenter-fold styles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and from the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a reclosable bag.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing areclosable bag with a zipper in a fin seal, with an exposed slider.

FIG. 3 is an alternative cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1,showing a reclosable bag with a zipper and slider within a fin seal,wherein the fin seal forms a shroud over the zipper and slider.

FIG. 4 is an alternative cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1,showing a reclosable bag with a zipper, without a slider, within a finseal.

FIG. 5 is an alternative cross-sectional view of a reclosable bagwherein the zipper and slider are within a fold thereby forming ashroud, and the fin seal is in a central portion on the bag.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the horizontal form fill and sealapparatus forming the reclosable bags of the present invention.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views of string zippers.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 disclose various configurations of sealing of asliderless zipper to the fin seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals refer tolike elements through the several views, one sees that FIG. 1 is a planview of a reclosable bag 10. Bag 10 includes top edge (or left edge) 12formed by a first fold, bottom edge 14 (or right edge) formed by asecond fold, and side edges 16, 18 formed by seals. By reason of thefirst and second folds forming top and bottom edges (or left and rightedges) 12, 14, the reclosable bag 10 is formed from a single sheet ofweb 100 thereby forming a front wall 20 and a rear wall 22 (see FIGS.2-5). At a central location on front wall 20, fin seal 24 is formed fromedges 32, 34 of web 100. Within fin seal 24 is zipper 30 formed of firstand second interlocking profiles 36, 38 with respective first and secondflanges 40, 42. Additionally, a slider 44 can be mounted on interlockingprofiles 36, 38, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, so that movement of theslider 44 in a first direction interlocks the profiles 36, 38 togetherand movement of the slider 44 in a second direction unlocks the profiles36, 38 from each other as is known to those skilled in the art.

Further, FIG. 2 shows the first and second flanges 40, 42 sealed toedges 32, 34 so that zipper 30 protrudes from the fin seal 24 and slider44 is clear of the fin seal 24.

FIG. 3 shows the first and second flanges 40, 42 sealed inwardly fromedges 32, 34 of web 100 whereby edges 32, 34 extend over zipper 30 andslider 44 to be sealed at seal 54 thereby forming a shroud over thezipper 30 and slider 44. One or more lines of weakness, illustrated aslines 50, 52 are typically provided to provide the user with access tozipper 30.

FIG. 4 shows the first and second flanges 40, 42 sealed to edges 32, 34within fin seal 24. As the embodiment of FIG. 4 does not include slider44, the zipper 30 is contained entirely, or substantially entirely,within fin seal 24.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment wherein edges 32, 34 are broughttogether to form fin seal 24 without zipper 30 therebetween. However,zipper 30 is contained within the fold which forms top edge (or leftedge) 12. More specifically, flanges 40 and 42 are sealed to an interiorof web 100 forming bag 10, proximate to top edge (or left edge) 12. Oneor more lines of weakness, illustrated as lines 50, 52 are typicallyprovided to provide the user with access to zipper 30.

FIG. 6 illustrates horizontal form fill seal apparatus 1000 wherein theweb 100 is supplied from source 110. Consumer product 200 is placed onweb 100. Edges 32, 34 of the web 100 are brought together by folders120, 122 along with longitudinally (or machine direction) fed zipper 30from zipper supply 130 between sealing bars 140 in order for sealingbars 140 to form fin seal 24. Likewise, the movement of the edges 32, 34toward each other forms the folds of top and bottom edges (or left andright edges) 12 and 14. In this configuration, outward longitudinalquarters of web 100 form the front wall 20, while the interior orcentral longitudinal half of web 100 forms rear wall 22. Sealing bar 150thereafter forms side edge 16 of a given reclosable bag 10 and side edge18 of a subsequent reclosable bag 10 and likewise separates adjacentbags.

In the case of the embodiment of FIG. 5, the zipper 30 would be suppliedupstream from the folders 120, 122 in order to provide the zipper 30adjacent to the fold of top edge (or left edge) 12. Likewise, apparatus,such as a cutter or a laser scorer, can be used to provide lines ofweakness 50, 52.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views of the sealing of string zipper 80,comprising male and female profiles 82, 84, to edges 32, 34,respectively, by sealing bars 140.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate various configurations of sealing bars 140for sealing a sliderless zipper, such as a string zipper 80, betweenedges 32, 34. The seals formed by sealing bars 140 can be above thezipper lock, both above and below the zipper lock, or some combinationthereof to create a hinge.

Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are mosteffectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the inventionhave been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should beunderstood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and itsscope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

1. A reclosable bag comprising: a front wall and a rear wall; areclosable zipper; and wherein a sheet of web is folded whereby edges ofsaid web are brought together in a central portion of said front walland joined with said reclosable zipper in a fin seal.
 2. The reclosablebag of claim 1 further including a top edge and a bottom edge formed byfolding of said sheet of web.
 3. The reclosable bag of claim 2 furtherincluding side seals joining said front wall and said rear wall.
 4. Thereclosable bag of claim 1 wherein said zipper includes first and secondinterlocking profiles and respective first and second flanges.
 5. Thereclosable bag of claim 4 wherein said first and second flanges aresealed within said fin seal.
 6. The reclosable bag of claim 1 whereinsaid first and second interlocking profiles protrude from said fin seal.7. The reclosable bag of claim 6 wherein said zipper further includes aslider to open and close said interlocking profiles.
 8. The reclosablebag of claim 1 wherein said interlocking profiles are sealed to saidedges within said fin seal and said zipper is substantially free ofprotrusion from said fin seal.
 9. The reclosable bag of claim 1 whereinsaid web is joined to said reclosable zipper inwardly from said edges,and said edges are joined to each other above said zipper therebyforming a shroud.
 10. The reclosable bag of claim 9 wherein said shroudincludes one or more lines of weakness.
 11. The reclosable bag of claim10 wherein said zipper includes first and second interlocking profilesand respective first and second flanges, wherein said flanges are sealedto said web.
 12. The reclosable bag of claim 11 wherein said zipperfurther includes a slider to open and close said interlocking profiles.13. The reclosable bag of claim 1 wherein said reclosable zipper is astring zipper.
 14. A reclosable bag comprising: a front wall and a rearwall; a reclosable zipper; wherein a sheet of web is folded therebyforming a top edge and a bottom edge whereby edges of said web arebrought together in a central portion of said front wall in a fin seal;and said reclosable zipper is sealed within the fold formed at said topedge.
 15. The reclosable bag of claim 14 further including side sealsjoining said front wall and said rear wall.
 16. The reclosable bag ofclaim 15 wherein said zipper includes first and second interlockingprofiles and respective first and second flanges.
 17. The reclosable bagof claim 16 wherein said flanges are sealed to said web.
 18. Thereclosable bag of claim 17 wherein said zipper further includes a sliderto open and close said interlocking profiles.
 19. The reclosable bag ofclaim 14 wherein said reclosable zipper is a string zipper.
 20. A methodof forming a reclosable bag, including the steps of: providing a sheetof web; providing a zipper; folding said web whereby outwardlongitudinal quarters of said web are brought over a centrallongitudinal half of said web thereby bringing longitudinal edges ofsaid web and said zipper together; and forming a fin seal with saidlongitudinal edges and the zipper therebetween.
 21. The method of claim20 wherein said zipper includes first and second interlocking profileswith respective first and second flanges and further includes a slider.22. The method of claim 21 wherein said web extends over said zipperwherein said longitudinal edges are joined thereby forming a shroud oversaid zipper.
 23. The method of claim 20 wherein said zipper is free of aslider and said zipper is substantially free of protrusion from said finseal.
 24. A method of forming a reclosable bag, including the steps of:providing a sheet of web; providing a zipper; folding said web wherebyoutward longitudinal quarters of said web are brought over a centrallongitudinal half of said web thereby bringing longitudinal edges ofsaid web and said zipper together and forming a top fold and a bottomfold, said zipper being within said top fold; and forming a fin sealwith said longitudinal edges.